Workshops, Town Halls,
and Auxiliary Meetings

SCOR Working Group

Saturday, 16 February 2013, 08:00 to 17:30 - Room 340

Members of an ICSU Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) WG 139: Organic ligands- A key control on trace metal biogeochemistry in the ocean will meet for the second time on Saturday, February 16, 2013. Organic ligands, molecules that form stable complexes with metals, have been shown to play an integral role in the bioavailability and cycling of bio-essential trace metals in the marine environment. This working group aims to combine the expertise of trace metal biogeochemists, organic geochemists and biogeochemical modelers toward advancing our understanding of metal-binding ligands in the oceans. Overarching goals for this working group over the next three years are: 1) Promote improvements in quality, accessibility, and development of analytical methodologies for characterizing metal-binding ligands in seawater; 2) Characterize which components of the dissolved organic matter pool make a significant contribution to biogeochemistry of trace metals in the oceans; and 3) Identify the role of metal-binding ligands in microbial ecology and marine biogeochemical cycles and successfully incorporate this into biogeochemical models. While the February 2013 meeting is restricted to full and associate members of SCOR WG 139, participation in working group activities, including intercalibration efforts, is open to the broader scientific community. Anyone interested in the activities of this working group is encouraged to join our e-mail list (contact kristen.buck@bios.edu) and follow our progress on the SCOR website (www.scor-int.org/Working_Groups/wg139.htm). In addition, the co-chairs of SCOR WG 139 are also chairing a special session at the ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting in New Orleans, SS08: Biogeochemistry of metal-binding organic ligands in the ocean, scheduled for Tuesday, February 19 with a poster session Thursday, February 21. For more information, please contact co-chairs Kristen Buck (kristen.buck@bios.edu), Maeve Lohan (maeve.lohan@plymouth.ac.uk), or Sylvia Sander (sylvias@chemistry.otago.ac.nz).

C-MORE Career Networking Workshop

Sunday, 17 February 2013,
08:30 to 15:30 - Room 342

C-MORE is sponsoring a group of students and post-docs to hold a one-day career/networking workshop just before the New Orleans meeting.

SCINTILLATION: A Workshop to Make Your
Science Communication Scintillate through
“Critical Storytelling”

If you would like to participate in this workshop, please contact Jon Sharp (jsharp@udel.edu).

The Challenge: To communicate your science effectively. Whether communicating with fellow researchers, local policymakers, or the lay public, relaying technical information accurately while keeping an audience engaged is a critical skill. An all too common perception about scientists is that they are tedious, boring, and unlikeable. Since we are experts on science issues important to society, often we assume audiences await our gems of knowledge; in the words of Mark Twain: “with parted lips and bated breath the audience hung upon his words”. However, lay public audiences do not hang upon our words and even our science peers will tune us out if the presentation is not interesting. And in today’s fast-paced, information- glutted world, even “interesting” isn’t enough; it must be scintillating! It is a matter of critical storytelling.

The Premise: Storytelling/narrative structure is at the core of virtually all effective broad communication. For obvious commercial reasons the Hollywood entertainment industry has traditionally been the source of both innovation and perfection of narrative elements, yet their basic approach is equally applicable to the communication of science to all audiences, from the general public to academics. For the past five years scientist-turned-filmmaker Randy Olson has been developing an approach he calls “critical storytelling,” bringing together the broadly creative energy of Hollywood with the rigorous discipline and commitment to accuracy of the science world.

This is an all-day workshop to help you improve communication of your science is scheduled for Sunday before the formal opening of the 2013 Aquatic Sciences Meeting, featuring a trio of communication specialists. The specialists are Randy Olson (actor and independent filmmaker), with assistance from Hollywood veterans Dorie Barton (actress and script consultant for screenwriters) and Brian Palermo (actor and improv acting instructor). The three served as the panel for the S-Factor 2 film analysis at the 2012 Ocean Sciences meeting in Salt Lake City and will do so again for S-Factor 3 in New Orleans. Participation in the Scintillation workshop will be limited and prior registration required, but without a fee. Much of the day will consist of rotating split-off small group hands-on activities with the specialists where you will learn how to: 1. capture audience interest at the start of the presentation, 2. “act” throughout the presentation so that the audience remains excited, and, 3. create structure for each presentation so that it tells an engaging, relatable story. The full group will re-assemble for the latter part of the workshop to put together the parts they learned from each of the subgroup activities.

It is our hope that improved communication skills will assist the aquatic science community in reaching out to the lay public explaining the results of our research. The skills needed to “wow” a lay audience should also assist scientists in presenting information to peers, especially in presenting results to broad audiences, outside one’s specialty area. In planning plenary talks for meetings, a question that we often hear is: “while he/she is clearly an expert in this subject, does he/she give an exciting and interesting talk?” The workshop registration is open to anyone interested, and we hope to attract graduate students, early career scientists, and also established scientists. While not everyone can become a super star speaker, almost everyone can improve his/her skills. Financial support for this workshop has been received from the Ocean Sciences Division of the US National Science Foundation.

GEARS: A Workshop for Broadening
the Impacts of Your Research

Sunday, 17 February 2013,
8:30 to 16:00 - Room 343

This all-day workshop addresses skills that include deconstructing your science, understanding how people learn, building effective knowledge for a variety of audiences, and broadening the reach of your science. Attendees will think creatively about how to integrate their research and education activities so that their research can be communicated to a broader audience. Education and outreach experts from three COSEE Centers include: Ari Daniel Shapiro, Annette DeCharon, and Bob Chen. Pre-register and qualify for $150 to defray the cost of one-night lodging by contacting Bob Chen (bob.chen@umb.edu).

Preparing Workforce and Transfer Students in Two-Year Colleges for Geoscience Careers

Sunday, 17 February 2013,
13:00 to 17:30 - Room 344

This workshop will cover best practices for preparing workforce and transfer students in two-year colleges (2YC) for ocean science careers. Participants will explore successful 2YC college transfer and workforce programs and practices, effective student research and internship programs, and geoscience career resources for 2YC students and faculty. Discussion will include strategies for effectively incorporating career information and professional skills into introductory oceanography courses.

How to Interview and Negotiate
for an Academic Position

Jim Yoder, WHOI, has worked at three different academic/research institutions and served on seven search committees (chaired three) and has participated on promotion and tenure committees at two different institutions. He has led this discussion with graduate students and postdocs previously on 3 separate occasions and will comment on the questions and topics below.

What happens throughout a typical interview process?

What are key strategies to consider for your interviews?

How do you prepare for an on-site interview?

What questions can you expect? When and to whom should you answer?

What questions are allowed/not allowed to be asked? How do you deal with inappropriate questions?

What are some of the “hidden agendas” of search committee members?

What do you need to ask of the institution when offered a job?

Other Advice

Lunch provided by COSEE OCEAN to the first 25 attendees.

S-Factor 3 (Film Analysis Workshop) - Part I

Monday, 19 February 2013,
12:00 to 13:30 (Lunch Time) - Room 345

Following our previous successes (2010, 2011, and 2012 winter meetings), at the 2013 meeting in New Orleans (February 17-22), we will conduct the S-Factor Video Workshop once again. Randy Olson, the marine biologist–turned filmmaker, will bring his Hollywood “S Team” for expert critiques. Randy has written and directed films about the oceans (his Shifting Baselines shorts), evolutionary biology (“Flock of Dodos”) and climate change (“Sizzle”), authored the book Don’t Be Such a Scientist, and for 2013 has a new historical documentary about a part of World War II featuring the voices of Richard Dreyfuss, Martin Sheen, and Brian Dennehy. As he did for the 2012 Ocean Sciences meeting, he will bring two Hollywood veterans: Dorie Barton, script analyst and actress (e.g, Meet the Fockers, Down with Love) and Brian Palermo, improv instructor and actor (e.g., The Social Network, Disney’s Girl VS. Monster) to join him on the S Factor Panel and other workshops in New Orleans.

We Want Your Short Videos! As with previous S Factor Workshops, the target is to explain aquatic science for lay public consumption. We invite anyone interested to submit a short video (not to exceed 5 minutes in You-Tube format). All submitted videos will be posted and discussed on-line prior to the meeting. A selection of submitted ones will be given critiques at the meeting. Similar to the OSM2012 response, we hope to get submissions from a broad array of graduate students, early career scientists, more established scientists, professional filmmakers, high school teachers. S-Factor 3 is scheduled in two parts, at the mid-day lunch break on Monday and on Tuesday evening. S-Factor 3 is partially supported by a grant from the Ocean Sciences Division of the US National Science Foundation. For more information or to submit a video, contact jsharp@udel.edu.

SNAP IT UP: Advice from Hollywood
for Short Presentations

You have only 15 minutes to present your data -- it’s a challenge. But in the world of Hollywood, where they know how to tell entire stories in 5 seconds (literally) that amount of time is an eternity. Randy Olson is a former scientist who knew the science talk format well before moving to Hollywood and becoming a filmmaker. In this workshop he brings with him two voices directly from this rapid communication world of Hollywood: actress/script consultant Dorie Barton, and actor/improv instructor Brian Palermo. They have been working as a team (The S Team!) for over a year, with this being their fifth workshop. They will be attending science sessions on Monday and will share tips and tricks over lunch on Tuesday that will help you be more effective in your 15-minutes of fame.

Please join us for a Limnology & Oceanography e-Lectures Town Hall: “L&O e-Lectures: An Effective Approach for Addressing Broader Impacts.” Several funding agencies now require proposals to not only provide justification for the intellectual merit of their work, but must also include a plan for activities demonstrating the broader impacts on society. For many, the task is arduous and elusive, with outcomes difficult to assess. L&O e-Lectures, a new publication from ASLO, offers a fresh and effective alternative for addressing societal benefit requirements by providing a high impact venue for publication in lecture format. The lectures can be used at the post-secondary level, or for the public at large. Over the past year, the L&O e-Lectures website has received over 40,000 hits and this number is growing exponentially. If, for example, just 1% of these hits were to result in e-Lecture downloads by post-secondary instructors, this would amount to approximately 400 instructors using these e-Lectures to teach their courses. As university class sizes range anywhere from 20 to 150 students, this translates to reaching 8000 to 60,000 students. The net outcome of publishing in L&O e-Lectures is win-win: a researcher submits their findings for publication in L&O, L&O Methods, L&O e-Books or L&O Fluids in the Environment, and can also submit a companion publication in L&O e-Lectures.

This Town Hall will introduce one of ASLO’s newest peer-reviewed publications, L&O e-Lectures, and will provide a forum to discuss publishing opportunities. Hosted by Jennifer Cherrier, Florida A&M University and Editor-in-Chief L&O e-Lectures. For more information about L&O e-Lectures visit (http://www.aslo.org/lectures) or contact Jennifer Cherrier: lolectures-editor@aslo.orgor Jason Emmett: lolectures-manager@aslo.org.

NSF Ocean Science Town Hall Meeting

Tuesday, 19 February 2013,
12:00 to 13:30 (Lunch Time) - Room 343

NSF program officers and staff will report on new and upcoming solicitations, describe proposed changes to the ships scheduling process, and answer questions from participants.

Getting people to hang on (almost) every word: Telling stories about your science

This workshop will be led by Ari Daniel Shapiro. We are made up of stories. They are the strongest currency of communication and memory. In this workshop, you will learn how to take your science – and the way you usually present data and research – and tell stories about it. Humorous stories that make people smile, meaningful stories that last, and engaging stories that make your listeners interested in the science. You will hear some examples, and get to try it yourself. Lunch provided by COSEE OCEAN to the first 25 attendees.

S-Factor 3 (Film Analysis Workshop) - Part II

Following the success of the S-Factor 2 at the 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting (see the website: http://www.sfactorpanels.org/sf2.htmlfor information about the last workshop), we propose another film analysis workshop in New Orleans. The workshop will be led by scientist-turned-filmmaker, Randy Olson, who has been assisting ASLO with film analysis workshops since 2010. Selected submitted videos will be critiqued by a team consisting of Olson (actor and independent filmmaker) and Hollywood veterans Dorie Barton (actress and story line consultant for screenwriters) and Brian Palermo (actor and improv acting instructor). The three served as the panel for the S-Factor 2 workshop at the 2012 Ocean Sciences meeting and are now becoming a team, including special workshops for organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Disease Control. Similar to the previous workshops, we will invite anyone interested to submit a short video (not to exceed 5 minutes in You-Tube format). All submitted videos will be posted and discussed on-line prior to the meeting. A selection of submitted ones will be given critiques at the meeting. Similar to the OSM2012 response, we hope to get submissions from a broad array of graduate students, early career scientists, more established scientists, professional filmmakers, high school teachers. We want to schedule this workshop in two-parts, at the mid-day break and in the evening on Tuesday. Financial support for this workshop has been received from the Ocean Sciences Division of the US National Science Foundation.

Frontiers of Ecosystem Science Workshop

Tuesday, 19 February 2013,
19:30 to 21:30 - Room 346 - 347

Ecosystem science has a long history as a core program at the National Science Foundation (NSF), and although topics of research have fluctuated over the years as in any program, it retains a clear identity and continues to attract exciting proposals. As science is becoming more interdisciplinary, particularly the science of global environmental change, ecosystem scientists often find themselves in positions of intellectual and organizational leadership because of their experience working across disciplines. Now is an appropriate time to energize and bring together the discipline in pursuit of a research agenda for the future. The NSF funded a series of workshops (PeterGroffman and Kathleen Weathers, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, are PIs) to accomplish this. The workshops and discussion groups will be held at multiple scientific-society meetings over the next two years, culminating in a Frontiers of Ecosystem Science Symposium. Relevant target societies in addition to ASLO include AGU, ASM, ERF, ESA, SFS (formerly NABS), ISME, IALE, AAG and SSSA. For this workshop, our organizing committee (Groffman, Weathers, Emily Bernhardt – Duke, Trina McMahon - University of Wisconsin, Joshua Schimel - UC Santa Barbara) will make an overview presentation to serve as a jumping off point for the session, which will focus on exciting developments in ecosystem ecology and its interfaces with otherdisciplines. Results from the discussion will serve as input for our final symposium that will involve approximately 50 participants and will produce a “white paper” that would serve as an evaluation and direction for the science that could be used at NSF and elsewhere.

This workshop will focus on exciting developments in ecosystem ecology and its interfaces with other disciplines as part of a National Science Foundation funded, multi-scientific society effort to address frontiers in ecosystem science and produce a “white paper” that will serve as an evaluation and direction for the discipline. Organized by Nancy B. Grimm, Ph.D., Professor, School of Life Sciences, Senior Sustainability Scientist, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA 85287

Third Eddy Correlation Measurement Workshop

Tuesday, 19 February 12:00 to 13:30 - Room 352

The 3rd Eddy Correlation Measurement Workshop will build on the instrumentation workshops held previously during the 2012 AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting and the 2012 ASLO Summer Meeting

This workshop includes presentations from outside experts to discuss the hands-on technical aspects of the actual measurement. The goal is to provide a forum for users to discuss technical aspects and hard related questions directly with manufacturers and end-users.

Topics covered include:

general experimental setup: geometry of setup, noise sources, best practices;

In addition the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) recently completed flume tank test with three commercial/semi-commercial Eddy Correlation Measurement Systems. Dr. Cecile Catholot will present the scientific results, and technical aspects of the work, such as techniques, best practices for setup and a-ha!-moments.

There is limited space available so attendance will be by registration and on a first-come, first-serve basis. Lunch will be provided. Please contact Jeremy Hancyk, Director of Business Development at Rockland Scientific, to register or for more information contact jeremy@rocklandscientific.com or by telephone: +1.250.370.1688.

Rockland Scientific will also be displaying their MicroSquid System - Booth #5 - in the exhibition hall for the duration of the ASLO Summer Meeting.

Science Journalism: Out of Gulf Coast Waters
and Onto the News Wires

Oil in New Gulf Slick Matches that of 2010 Spill. Through Gulf Waters: Pointing Sea Turtles Back to Sea. After Spill, Gulf Oil Drilling Rebounds.

These headlines introduced recent marine science news stories. Did these articles attract readers? If so, what’s the secret to their success? Nancy Rabalais, Executive Director of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON), will offer opening thoughts on communicating about the ocean sciences. Participants in this workshop will learn how to present science in an interesting way while retaining factual accuracy — the key to good science communication and science journalism.

Science journalism aims to transmute scientific concepts and results from jargon-based language often understandable only by scientists, to news relevant to the lives of general readers (listeners/viewers).

The workshop explores science writing for a non-scientific audience. Participants will review examples of good science writing from newspapers like the New York Times and Washington Post, and news magazines like Science News and New Scientist; “dissect” the structure of science news and feature articles; discuss how popular coverage of science has changed in recent years; and learn the basics of science journalism. Participants will have the opportunity to write a general audience science article about research presented at the conference, and individual feedback will be offered to those interested.

Informal Ocean Science Education: An Introduction

Wednesday, 20 February 2013,
12:00-13:30 - Room 346-347

Workshop Leader: Jerry R. Schubel, PhD; President of the Aquarium of the Pacific

This workshop will explore the following:

The nature of informal science education, how it differs fundamentally from formal science education and occupies a separate and distinct domain of the educational landscape.

Why academic and governmental scientists might want to expand their programs to include informal science education and how the driving forces behind the motivation could, and perhaps should, dictate how the modes by which they pursue informal science education.

The value of partnerships with informal science institutions and the power of energizing networks.

Lunch provided by COSEE OCEAN to the first 25 attendees.

Town Hall: Informal Ocean Science Education:
Trends and Opportunities

Wednesday, 20 February 2013,
18:00 to 19:30 - Room 343

Town Hall Leaders:Jerry R. Schubel, PhD; President of the Aquarium of the Pacific and John Fraser, PhD, President and CEO for the New Knowledge Organization

Learning happens everywhere, not only in classrooms. As climate changes, sea level rises, and coastal areas get developed, all people need to increase their awareness and understanding of the ocean to make appropriate decisions in their everyday lives. This Town Hall will present a review of the recent trends in informal ocean science education and offer a discussion of opportunities for future investigation, implementation, and scaling up of effective practices in informal science education regarding the ocean. A blue ribbon panel has written a forthcoming report that will form the basis of this discussion.

Town Hall - Marine Microbial Eukaryote Transcriptome Project

Wednesday, 20 February 2013,
18:00 to 19:30 - Room 345

This is a town hall meeting focusing on microeukaryote sequencing and bioinformatics and will feature presentations and discussions focusing on bioinformatics methods to analyze microbial eukaryote transcriptomes. Highlights include presentations from the National Center for Genome Resources about their sequencing methods and their informatics analysis of data generated by the Marine Microbial Eukaryote Transcriptome Sequencing Project. This is a collaborative project supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to sequence the transcriptomes of approximately 750 samples from hundreds of diverse organisms. The town hall will also feature short presentations from students and researchers who are developing bioinformatics methods for transcriptome analysis. In addition, the J. Craig Venter Institute will present their PhyloMetarep tool, a comparative transcriptomics analysis and visualization environment. Organizers: Jon Kaye, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; Bethany Jenkins, University of Rhode Island; P. Dreux Chappell, University of Rhode Island; and Sonya Dyhrman, Columbia University.

SENSEnet Showcase

Wednesday, 20 February 2013,
18:00 to 20:00 - Room 342

Young researchers from the SENSEnet project which has focused on in situ sensors for the marine environment will give short sharp presentations on their latest work. There will be an opportunity to discuss their work further over drinks and nibbles.

Be Inclusive I: Share Your Research Effectively

Wednesday, 20 February 2013,
18:00 to 21:00 - Room 344

As individuals, we can strive to communicate in inclusive ways. As members of academic systems, we can foster practices that support diversity. This workshop will help you effectively share your research and pathway to science. The Institute for Broadening Participation’s “Be Inclusive II” workshop offers strategies to connect with diverse audiences while addressing barriers to participation. Attending both is recommended but not required. Food will be provided to the first 50 participants.

Be Inclusive II: Address Barriers to Participation

Thursday, 21 February 2013,
12:00 to 13:30 (Lunch Time) - Room 344

As individuals and members of academic systems, we can strive to communicate in inclusive ways and to foster practices that support diversity. This workshop will offer ways to connect with diverse audiences while addressing barriers to participation. The Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence’s “Be Inclusive I” workshop will help you effectively share your research and pathway to science. Attending both is recommended but not required. Food will be provided to the first 50 participants.

Teaching Large Classes

This workshop will be led by Bob Chen, University of Massachusetts, Boston. Introductory environmental, ocean, and aquatic science courses provide an excellent opportunity to prepare majors and non-majors for thinking about some of the largest issues facing society such as climate change and energy needs. Large courses can also serve to attract students into the field. This workshop will provide some strategies to overcome some of the challenges of teaching large courses while making your teaching engaging, relevant, and effective.Lunch provided by COSEE OCEAN to the first 25 attendees.